Red Poppy Ale

A: Deep and clear mahagony brown. Average thickiness foam in dark tan color. S: Sour and barnyard musk, with faint sour cherries in the background. Really unique mix that's an invitation to taste. T: Refreshingly tart, really dry with no sweetness. Then oak woodiness with a light vanilla touch, finishes with sour cherry. O: Sophisticated and completely balanced. Almost wine like, and deep in the complexity. If you like tart, this is it. A tad expensive, but worth special occasions.

Bottle was from the 2010 release. Pours clear with almost no off-white carbonation at all, which means there was no retention with lacing being a simple ring at liquid level. Aroma is vinegar up front giving a tartness to the beer. Cherries abound on top of a nice funk. There seems to be so much going on that I am having a hard time making out individual elements. Taste is sweet up front with a cherry tartness building, turning into a build up sour apples that rips the enamel off your teeth. WOW! Medium body with a dose of zippy carbonation that tingles in the mouth. I have been cellaring this bottle waiting for the right moment. Today wasn't special in anyway, I have just been wanting to open. Like money burning a hole in a kids pocket. Worth the wait and I have to find a way to get another. Enjoy!

Amber brown leaning towards reddish amber hue. Semi-translucent. Thinnest head slight cling to edge. Vinegar-esque aroma, is that the cherry? Taste: Tastes like it smells. Smack! Cherry and stuff! IF it lingered it would be over bearing, but it doesn't. Huge cherry flavor that quickly cuts off. Nice carbonation, medium body. A lot of flavors that come at you quick then cut off. As bold as it is, great balance. Not a session beer, but very enjoyable. So, at it's price point is it worth drinking? I can taste the value, but it's a flavor you can't drink often. Again, not a session beer, but so good. So tough call based on price. Great beer, but a lot to pay for it. I would have it again- at a party- to share. I wouldn't drink one often, or a lone. Tough call based on price. Edit: Almost one year later, this beer is growing on me.